Scrambled Eggs

Gavin Paterniti

Entertainment/Features Reporter

gpaterniti@post-journal.com

By now the i’s have been dotted, the t’s have been crossed and Cold Lazarus will officially be opening for Boss Tweed and the Carpetbaggers in Buffalo next month.

It’s very possible that nobody reading this column has even heard of Boss Tweed and the Carpetbaggers — the band, that is — and I feel fairly confident in saying that’s probably the way they like it.

At first glance the group appears from the stage as a trio of shirtless, cut off jean shorts-clad masked men. Yes, completing the ensemble is the fact that all three members wear Mexican Lucha Libre masks to disguise their identity. None of them refer to each other by name and they say next to nothing between songs, other than to mostly curse at and antagonize their audience. (Don’t worry, people, it’s all in good fun and any fan knows it.)

Adding to the effect is that it’s not uncommon to see a fourth masked member off to the side of the stage not playing music but cooking scrambled eggs during their set, which typically contains aggressive playing and vocals and is usually concluded by the smashing of various fruits — pineapples, watermelons, what have you — with a baseball bat.

And, just for good measure, the scrambled eggs are served to audience members who wish to sample them. I’ve actually done so at last year’s Night Lights Music Festival, where I first witnessed the Boss Tweed debauchery with my own eyes, and they were quite delicious.

Despite the fact that the members of Boss Tweed revel in their anonymity, those in their circle know that the band is comprised of, and serves as a side project for, current and former members of Buffalo-based groove rock band Aqueous, whom I’ve mentioned several times in this column. And if a vast majority of you don’t know of Aqueous, I can assure you that tens of thousands of people across the country do.

Aqueous was formed in the Buffalo area in 2006 by a group of high school friends. Now in their late 20s, the group has amassed a large and extremely loyal following not only in Buffalo but the regional jam band circuit. They have put out several studio albums and even more live albums, and more likely than not you’ll see them posting photos and statuses from the road on one tour or another. Their most recent excursion was an appearance in Jam Cruise, a five-day music festival that takes place on a cruise ship off the coast of Florida and South America.

Even after playing several dozen, maybe even hundreds, of shows every year, the band members have a reputation as being some of the hardest working and kindest people in the business. I’ve been to a handful of their shows and every single time you’ll see them emerging from the backstage area after a quick breather following their sets to hang out and chat with their fans.

When Cold Lazarus was formed and we were trying to decide what style of music we wanted to play, myself and the other guys immediately brought up Aqueous as a major influence. We were all aware of the success they’ve had, especially since they’ve blown up in the past few years, and admire them for their consistency and dogged work ethic. Our business model has largely followed theirs, and so far I’d say we’re off to a good start.

We even have a friend up in Hamburg, one who has known the Aqueous guys practically since they started, who has likewise supported us from Day One and often compares our trajectory to that of Aqueous. He recently told fans of Aqueous that we’re basically at the level they were at in 2011 and, to me, that’s a pretty favorable comparison since we’ve apparently been able to achieve in one year what it took them four or five to do.

So, rambling aside, I couldn’t be more thrilled for this opportunity. All last year I’ve followed Aqueous and their members on social media hoping that someday they would be aware of both my and Cold Lazarus’ existence. Now, that day has finally come.

Not only do I get to spend a night in Buffalo with the Aqueous crew, but they’ll get to see us in action, too. I’m trying to keep my expectations reasonable but I can’t help but think that this just may be the start of a beautiful friendship.

For anyone who feels like making the trip up North with us, the show will be held Saturday, March 10, at Nietzsche’s — 248 Allen St. in Buffalo — and Cold Lazarus will kick things off at 10 p.m.

And now, here’s some of what you can expect to find in the area this week.

HIGHLIGHTS

‘Back Room Radio Hour’ To Feature Brothers Blue Today: Trinity Guitars will play host to an evening with Americana up-and-comers The Brothers Blue in today’s episode of “Back Room Radio Hour,” beginning at 7 p.m. Hailing from Honeoye in the Finger Lakes region, and rooted in the fertile tradition of Old-Time fiddle music, The Brothers Blue have developed and grown a sound all their own. They incorporate elements of country, bluegrass, Cajun and Irish music into their own songwriting to create a hybrid of fresh, original songs. In 2016, the trio released their debut album, “Ghost Town.” They followed up with a 2017 collection of their favorite traditional tunes and old songs, which they called “Big Eyed Rabbit.”

There is no cost to attend a taping session of “Back Room Radio Hour,” but it is preferable that those interested in attending reserve their seats by contacting Trinity Guitars at 665-4490. Reservations may also be made by visiting trinityguitars.com or via the event’s Facebook page.

The show will begin at 7 p.m., and it is recommended that attendees arrive at 6:30 p.m. in order to ensure the program begins on time. For more information, find “BRRH Live with The Brothers Blue” on Facebook.

STW To Present ‘Fast Times At Falconer High’ Saturday: Southern Tier Wrestling will present “Fast Times at Falconer High,” featuring the return of several familiar faces and a former WWE superstar, at the Falconer High School gymnasium Saturday at 6 p.m. The event will be STW’s third-season premiere and the first to be held in an area school. It is also the first to feature the locally owned wrestling company’s very own ring, which it recently purchased. Topping the bill for the event will be Tito Santana, a WWE Hall-of-Famer and intercontinental and tag team champion. Santana will appear in meet-and-greet events on the day of the event from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at Ed Shults of Warren and from 3-5 p.m. at Farm Fresh Foods, pending his arrival time.

In addition to Santana, the event will feature: a Southern Tier Wrestling heavyweight matchup between “Big Time” Collier and Brandon Thurston; a six-man tag team match between The Divine Alliance and Vince Valor, Kevin Bennett and Mike Skyros; and a Southern Tier Wrestling tag-team championship match between The Homewreckers and Daniel Garcia and James Sayga. Also appearing will be Kevin Blackwood, The Patron Saints of Pro Wrestling, Rob Sweet and SuperBeast, and Andrew Anderson.

A portion of the proceeds raised from Saturday’s event will benefit the family of Ross Snyder, who is dealing with medical costs associated with an as-of-yet undiagnosed illness. An after-party will be hosted at Waddington’s Tavern, 344 W. Main St. in Falconer.

Tickets to the event are $20 for VIP and front-row seats, $10 for floor and bleacher seats, and $5 for students and children. They can be purchased at the door on the day of the event or in advance at Pal Joey’s, Game Time Sports Bar and Grill and Falconer Central School.

For more information about “Fast Times at Falconer High,” find the event on Facebook.

Seneca Allegany To Present Randy Houser In Saturday Concert: With tons of nominations and a busy touring schedule, Randy Houser is set to bring his special brand of singing and songwriting to the Seneca Allegany Events Center in a 7 p.m. concert Saturday. Since his very first recording, “Anything Goes,” Houser’s been kicking out the country nonstop. The Mississippi-born country star has a big following, including famous former talk show host David Letterman. After hearing one of Houser’s songs on the radio, Letterman invited Houser on the show for a career-making performance and the rest is history. Now, with four groundbreaking albums and another on the way, Houser will offer up favorites like “Boots On,”“How Country Feels,”“Runnin’ Outta Moonlight” and “Like a Cowboy” in Saturday’s concert.

Tickets start at $35. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 1-877-873-6322 or visit https://senecaalleganycasino.com/entertainment/events-center/.

‘Chautauqua’s Got Talent’ Auditions Set For Feb. 19: Auditions for the ninth annual, five-week “Chautauqua’s Got Talent” competition will be held Monday, Feb. 19, at the Spire Theater, beginning at 7 p.m., when contest hopefuls are invited to display their talents before a panel of judges. Co-presented by Big Time Productions and The Post-Journal, “Chautauqua’s Got Talent” offers Chautauqua area residents a unique opportunity to compete against one another using a variety of skills and abilities. In addition to singers and musicians, the contest also encourages other types of entertainers, such as comedians, magicians and dancers, to perform in front of a live audience over a five-week period. The contest also welcomes groups as well as solo acts.

Auditioning hopefuls should come prepared to offer a sample of their talent for approximately one minute, and bring a parent or guardian if under 18. If hopefuls are unable to attend the audition, there is an option to send in a video audition by emailing a video file or YouTube link to jamestownspire@gmail.com any time up until midnight Tuesday, Feb. 20. The contest will begin its five-week run Monday, March 5, and will conclude Monday, April 2. Each competition round will begin at 7 p.m. on its respective date. Presale tickets to individual shows are $7, and are available for purchase through the Labyrinth Press Company, located at 10 E. Fourth St. in Jamestown, or online at spiretheater.org. A pass to attend all five competition nights is also available at the aforementioned locations for $30. Individual tickets on performance nights are available at the door for $9.

The Spire Theater is located at 317 E. Third St. in Jamestown. For more information on auditions, or this year’s “Chautauqua’s Got Talent” competition, contact The Spire Theater at 450-7357, or by email at jamestownspire@gmail.com.

HAPPENINGS

To include an upcoming show or event in this column, email gpaterniti@post-journal.com or call 487-1111, ext. 243 by Monday.